New Atlanticist

Sharp insights and bold ideas from across the Council

From climate change to the China challenge and the contest between democracy and dictatorship, the New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the US role in addressing them alongside allies and partners.

The Council’s flagship section features big ideas, groundbreaking research, lightning-fast expert reactions, in-depth analyses, and thought-provoking commentary to shape public policy.

The Westphalian System and US Defense Policy

New Atlanticist
Sep 4, 2025

Dispatches from Damascus: The state of Syria’s postwar transition nine months after Assad’s fall

On a recent trip to the Syrian capital, Atlantic Council experts took note of how far the country has come since the Assad regime’s fall and what still needs to happen to secure peace and prosperity.

New Atlanticist
Aug 29, 2025

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

By
Atlantic Council experts

August saw a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As September nears, Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what to expect next.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist
Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By
Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

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New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2012

The Westphalian System and US Defense Policy

By Derek Reveron

Last week, Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter told an audience at the Atlantic Council that building partnership capacity or security force assistance will remain an important component of US defense policy. The talk was grounded in the 2012 strategic defense guidance that notes “building partnership capacity…remains important for sharing the costs and responsibilities of global leadership. Across the […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2012

The European Union and the Syrian Gridlock

By Vivien Pertusot

The United Nations account of the 8317 dead and counting in Syria is disturbing, even more so as the international community remains divided and actions to curb violence have proved unsuccessful. In this apparent gridlock, the European Union has adopted a hard-pressed and steady posture against the regime. The pressure may be growingly biting, yet […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Feb 23, 2012

Afghan Outrage: Burned Books, Mayhem, and Mass Murder

By James Joyner

At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded so far in a series of riots across Afghanistan reacting to news that some Islamic religious materials were burned along with the trash by American troops. President Obama this morning added his “deep regret” and “sincere apologies” to a long list by other US and […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 23, 2012

Where Next for US-China Relations?

By Banning Garrett

The change in leaders in China is perhaps less significant than a new administration taking power in the United States, especially if the new US administration is from the party previously out of power. Xi Jinping has been part of the ruling administration for years. There will be new faces taking Politburo and Standing Committee […]

China

New Atlanticist

Feb 23, 2012

The World Depends on the Future of Greece and Iran

By Harlan Ullman

What a tense and chilling time internationally! Economically and financially, markets and bourses remain fixated on what happens, or doesn’t, in relatively tiny Greece. For the moment, bulls may be eclipsing bears in resolving the Greek debt crisis — but only for the moment.

Greece Iran

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2012

The Wrong Somalia Conference

By Peter Pham

British Prime Minister David Cameron is hosting a major international conference tomorrow involving senior representatives of some forty countries and multilateral organizations. The agenda that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has laid out for the conferees is ambitious, to say the least: the mandarins of Whitehall are giving themselves all of five hours to get […]

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2012

Smart Defense Requires Smarter Defense Education

By Julian Lindley-French

Because the Euro crisis is not only disconnecting European security from world security but also turning many European armed forces into little more than armed pensions, something radical needs to be done to bridge the abyss between strategy and austerity through which our armed forces are now falling.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2012

Al Qaeda’s Divisive Alliance

By Bronwyn Bruton

In a videotaped announcement released earlier this month by the Al Qaeda chief, Ayman al-Zawahri, the group officially endorsed the struggling rebel group Shabab, which has been fighting the Western-backed transitional government and African Union peacekeepers in Somalia since 2007.

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2012

Brzezinski, Slaughter Discuss Obama’s Mideast Challenges

By Barbara Slavin

Zbigniew Brzezinski knows something about dealing with Iranians and his advice to President Barack Obama is this: Don’t start a war with Iran.

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2012

Yemen’s Election Might Matter

By Danya Greenfield

With daily massacres in Homs and prosecution of U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Cairo, the simmering conflict in Sanaa has faded into the background. Yet on February 21 attention will turn again to Yemen on the occasion of its presidential election.

Yemen

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